The Cefn Stud, Gower

Section A’s

The foundations of the stud were laid in the early years of the last century, when Colin’s father and grandfather, like many of their neighbours who held Commoners’ grazing rights on Cefn Bryn, took pleasure in keeping a number of Welsh Mountain Ponies on the hill among the cattle and sheep. Those early pony breeders took a keen interest in selective breeding, continually purchasing and up-grading the stallions to be used. Any entire ponies (or donkeys!) who had not been approved by a Committee of the Commoners had to be removed and impounded. By 1918, the President of the WPCS (Mr. Charles Coltman Rogers) was recommending the policy and practices of the pony breeders in Gower as an example to be followed by other Pony Improvement Societies everywhere!

                                 MARES & FOALS NEAR BROAD POOL, CEFN BRYN

Even as a young boy, Colin took a keen interest in the ponies on Cefn Bryn - watching and learning from the older generation of experienced horsemen and breeders - and when he left school in 1940 he took over the day-to-day management of those belonging to his father. However, the Second World War meant that the number of ponies kept on the all the hills and commons in Gower had to be drastically reduced, and the WPCS awards for premium stallions were suspended from 1942 until1946. Nevertheless, a few of the best mares were kept on, and during the 1950's, the increased demand for children’s riding ponies of show quality meant that the Cefn Stud expanded rapidly in all directions. Mares such as Cefn Marvel and Cefn Lass produced top-class foals by such well-known stallions as Craven Titlight, Bolgoed Pippin, Eryri Gwyndaf and Ceulan Revelry. Ceulan Revelry (affectionately known as "Pop-eye" because of his wall-eye) first came to Gower in 1952, and, when mated with the daughters of Eryri Gwyndaf, produced some outstanding show ponies. All the Sec. A ponies presently at the Cefn Stud are descended at some point from Ceulan Revelry.

                                     CEULAN REVELRY ("Pop-eye") with Irene (1960)

In 1956, Cefn Susan, a 3 year old chestnut filly, was purchased by Miss M. Brodrick of the Coed Coch Stud. Cefn Susan was the first of many Cefn ponies to be exported by Miss Brodrick to the USA in this and subsequent years. In 1959 Cefn Graceful, who had been purchased by Miss Brodrick the previous year, became the first of many Cefn ponies to be exported to Canada.

                                                                    CEFN SUSAN

The 2009 crop of Sec. A foals are by the WPCS  Premium Stallion, Deri William  (kindly loaned to the Cefn Bryn Pony Improvement Society  by Kevin and Clive Morris of Tredegar).

The 2010 Sec. A foals will be by WPCS Premium Stallion Coednewydd Kled.

Although Section B’s are no longer bred by the stud, they, too, have played an important part in its history, the first of these being entered in the Appendix to the Stud Book in 1958. Among the most noteworthy were Cefn Pip (foaled 1950), two of her daughters (Cefn Pipit and Cefn Mayfly), and Cefn Greymist. Cefn Mayfly was exported to Holland in 1958. The offspring of these hardy, old-fashioned Section B’s (a slightly larger version of the archetypal Section A) were much sought-after as children’s riding ponies throughout the 1960's and 1970's. Among the most successful was the colt Cefn Signal, who was to sire many notable prize-winners, including Cefn Choirmaster, who was a prize-winner at the Royal Welsh as a yearling in 1971. One of the best-known  brood mares was Cefn Romance (a daughter of Cefn Pipit), whose daughter by Cefn Signal (Cefn Cosy)   was exported to Germany in 1972. The stallion Cefn Sunlight, also by Cefn Signal,  was exported to Germany the following year.

The Welsh cob mare Cefn Queenie, the foundation mare for the Cefn Sec. C and Sec. D stock, was purchased at Llanybydder Sale as a yearling in 1953. Her daughter Cefn Black Queen (known to the family as "Dinah") was the dam of the first Sec. C mare, Cefn Princess, who was sired by none other than "Pop-eye", then 21 years old. In 1969, Princess produced the outstanding Sec. C mare, Cefn Moonlight, by Maylord Starlight.

 Moonlight is probably the best remembered of all the Cefn ponies, and most of the Sec. C’s here today are descended from her. She was a beautiful dark cream/palomino with a flaxen mane and tail. She won 1^st prize and Championship as a 3-year old at Lampeter, and  Championships at the Royal Show  (1974) and the Royal Welsh (1974 and 1975). Her daughter (and "lookalike"!), Cefn Moonraise (by Lyn Cwmcoed), was Female Champion at the Royal Welsh in 1981, and was featured on the cover page of Horse and Hound. Her son, Cefn Lyn (b. 1987, by Lyn Cwmcoed) was exported to Germany and, after spending some time in Sweden, spent his final years in Denmark.

 The two home-bred  Sec. C stallions who have had the most profound influence on the stud are Cefn Maestro (b. 1981, by Cui Maestro ex Cefn Kay) and Cefn Playboy (b. 1987, by Lyn Cwmcoed ex Cefn Lynne).

  CEFN MOONLIGHT (1969-1989)                       

  CEFN MOONRAISE (1975-2007)

   CEFN MAESTRO

 CEFN PLAYBOY (now in Manchester)

 Section D's

The only home-bred Sec. D brood mare resident at the stud at present is Cefn Nightlight.  She is a granddaughter of Cefn Moonlight and is by Gower Prince (Sec. D, a son of Brenin Dafydd).

CEFN NIGHTLIGHT

    Running out with the C and D mares in 2009 were Cefn Maestro and Newbrook Reflection.

Link to Official WPCS Site